National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month
In his Proclamation, President Biden states, “During National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month, we recommit to building a future where our Nation’s young people can live free from violence, fear, and abuse.”
Unhealthy, abusive, or violent relationships can have short- and long-term negative effects, including severe consequences, on a developing teen. Nearly 1 in 12 high school students report having experienced physical dating violence in the past year. And about 1 in 12 high school students report having experienced sexual dating violence in the past year according to the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Access public awareness materials on teen dating violence on the love is respect website, developed with funding from OVC. The love is respect helpline is available 24/7 by phone, text, or online chat for teens, young adults, and their loved ones seeking support.
The following hotlines received funding from OVC in FY 2023 and also provide services to victims of dating violence.
- National Domestic Violence Hotline
Victims of dating violence can contact this free and confidential hotline anytime to receive support. OVC awarded funding to this hotline to increase their capacity to serve those harmed by domestic violence and, more specifically, survivors of technology-facilitated gender-based violence, especially young people.
- Image Abuse Helpline
This 24/7 hotline is the dedicated to assisting victims of image-based sexual abuse. With funding from OVC, the hotline will offer information and referrals; conduct physical safety assessments; offer guidance related to image searching, documenting evidence, image reporting, and image takedown; provide referrals to attorneys, and more. OVC funds will also support efforts to raise awareness about the hotline and the services they provide.
- National Sexual Assault Hotline (La Línea de Ayuda Nacional online de Abuso Sexual)
The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) provides free, confidential hotline support services for English- and Spanish-speaking survivors of sexual assault. OVC funding will assist RAINN to meet increased demand these services, enhance staff training, conduct outreach to historically underserved and marginalized communities, and pilot a confidential text hotline.
- VictimConnect
This hotline offers a safe space where victims of crime, including victims of dating violence, can learn about their rights and options confidentially and compassionately. With OVC funds, the hotline will seek to expand their hours of operation to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate support 24/7. The project will also support a collaborative needs assessment of victims experiencing cybercrime and technology facilitated crimes.
Find additional information and resources on the following websites:
- Office of Justice Programs: Teen Dating Violence Special Feature
- Office on Violence Against Women: Dating Violence
- Girlshealth.gov: Healthy Relationships
National Black History Month
In his National Black History Month Proclamation, President Biden states, “Since taking office, the Vice President and I have worked to continue this legacy of progress and lay down a foundation for a stronger, more equitable Nation.”
OVC supports the Administration’s priorities in advancing equity and racial justice and is committed to ensuring access to culturally responsive victim services. Visit our Serving Communities of Color topic page to view publications, videos, training and technical assistance opportunities, and more. Resources include—
- Take Action Against Trafficking of Black Girls
The three-part video series, developed by Youth Collaboratory with funding from OVC, amplifies several voices from direct service professionals, researchers, youth and young adults with lived expertise, and multidisciplinary providers about emerging trends and promising practices for prevention and early intervention for Black girls who are at risk of being or are victims of sex trafficking.
- Providing Effective Services to Young Men and Boys of Color
This OVC Training and Technical Assistance Center on-demand training features four lessons on best practices for serving young men and boys of color.
- A Vision for Equity in Victim Services: What Do the Data Tell Us About the Work Ahead
This video highlights statistics on racial disparities and violent victimization and the need to ensure that programming is in place to reach victims of color.
- Increasing Access to Healing Services and Just Outcomes for Older African American Crime Survivors
This OVC-sponsored toolkit offers information and practical strategies to help identify, reach, and serve older Black victims of crime.
OVC initiatives include—
- National Center for Culturally Responsive Victim Services
The center, managed by Ujima, Inc.: The National Center on Violence Against Women in the Black Community, in partnership with The National Organization of Sisters of Color Ending Sexual Assault, facilitates the delivery of high-quality training and technical assistance to increase access to victim services and victim compensation for victims of crime that have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by inequality.
It will also administer microgrants to victim-serving organizations run by and for the communities they serve with the overarching goal of increasing the number of victims accessing services in underserved communities.
- National Resource Center for Reaching Underserved Victims
The center was launched in 2016 to transform victim services to provide culturally and linguistically specific, trauma-informed, and accessible services that identify, reach, and meet the needs of underserved victims. OVC funded Activating Change to relaunch the center to focus on children, boys and men of color, former justice-involved individuals, and people with disabilities.
- Advancing Hospital-Based Victim Services
This program ensures that trained victim service providers are on hand in hospital emergency rooms to connect victims of violence in underserved communities with the services and support needed to aid in their healing. OVC is funding The Health Alliance for Violence Intervention (HAVI) to support the violence intervention programs connected to this initiative and promote equity for victims of violence.
- Legal Fellowship Program to Bridge Inequities in Legal Services and Victims’ Rights Enforcement for Underserved Communities
This program expands the capacity of participating agencies to provide civil legal assistance to victims of crime in underserved, Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color communities and to enforce their rights as crime victims. Equal Justice Works launched this Crime Victims Advocacy Program partnership with the National Crime Victim Law Institute.
- Community IMPACT: Imagining Multidisciplinary Pathways to Assist, Care & Thrive
Through funding from a cooperative agreement with OVC, Futures Without Violence subawarded to 12 community-based groups to promote awareness, healing, reconciliation, and access to resources and services for victims of hate crimes and develop innovative approaches and strategies to address hate in their communities and help survivors heal.
- Enhancing Access to Victim Services
This program expands the availability of accessible services for crime victims who are disabled, Deaf, hard-of-hearing, limited English proficient, blind, and/or visually impaired. Activating Change is partnered with the Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence to provide technical assistance to the 10 organizations funded by OVC to address equity and provide culturally-specific victim services for victims from these communities.
International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, February 6
On February 6, 2024, we commemorate the annual International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
The STOP FGM Act of 2020 prohibits FGM from being performed on anyone under the age of 18. It is also a crime to transport a minor to another country for purposes of having FGM performed on them.
OVC joins the U.S. Department of Justice to support efforts to build or enhance community responses to address the needs of victims of female genital mutilation and identify at-risk girls through our Addressing Female Genital Mutilation and Cutting program.
OVC made five FGM awards totaling nearly $1.4 million in FY 2021 and seven awards—six program sites and one technical assistance provider—totaling nearly $3 million in FY 2020. RTI International’s Addressing Female Genital Mutilation and Cutting Training and Technical Assistance Program provides tailored, one-on-one training and technical assistance to organizations seeking support on FGM-related programs of all kinds. Request training and technical assistance today.
Visit the U.S. Department of State’s Fact Sheet on Female Genital Mutilation or Cutting and join us as we raise awareness of this harmful practice and the services available to victims. The fact sheet is available in English, Amharic, Arabic, Bahasa, French, Somali, Swahili, and Tigrinya.